The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce recently released statistics on mass layoffs for March 2009, and the news shows several industries hitting new highs for the month in mass layoff events. A mass layoff is generally defined as a single event in which at least 50 workers lose their jobs. Manufacturing continues to lead the pace of mass layoffs.
The BLS release is reproduced in part below:
Employers took 2,933 mass layoff actions in March that resulted in the separation of 299,388 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer. The number of mass layoff events in March increased by 164 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial claims increased by 3,911.
Over the year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 1,348, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 137,891. In March, the manufacturing sector experienced 1,259 mass layoff events, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 155,909 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 24, and initial claims increased by 3,291. (See table 1.) Layoff events and initial claims rose to their highest levels on record, with data available back to 1995; events in the manufacturing sector also reached its highest level.
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Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
The number of mass layoff events in March was 2,191 on a not seasonally adjusted basis; the number of associated initial claims was 228,387. (See table 2.) Over the year, increases were recorded in both the number of mass layoff events (+1,102) and initial claims (+113,846). This year, both average weekly events and initial claimants reached their highest March levels in program history; data are available back to 1996. (Average weekly analysis mitigates the effect of differing lengths of months. See the Technical Note.) Thirteen of the 19 major industry sectors reported program highs in terms of average weekly initial claimants for the month of March—mining; construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; information; finance and insurance; real estate and rental and leasing; professional and technical services; management of companies and enterprises; administrative and waste services; arts, entertainment, and recreation; and accommodation and food services.
The manufacturing sector accounted for 43 percent of all mass layoff events and 50 percent of initial claims filed in March 2009; a year earlier, manufacturing made up 31 percent of events and 38 percent of initial claims. This March, the number of manufacturing claimants was greatest in transportation equipment (26,012) and machinery (18,081). (See table 3.) The retail trade industry accounted for 8 percent of mass layoff events and 9 percent of associated initial claims during the month.
Gregg D. Killoren
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